The Unwritten Rule of Loyalty
by The Blind Dragon
Summary: One shot. Sixth year. After seeing Ron kissing Lavender and Hermione crying, Harry does something about it. Rated M for some coarse language.


Disclaimer: I am making no money from this and all of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling and associates.

After missing the Quidditch match because of the detention with the greasy bat, Harry came through the entrance to the Gryffindor common room ready to congratulate Ron and the rest of the team on their win when he came up short. There, standing in front of him, was his best mate, Ron, with Lavender Brown's face stuck to his. Ron's hands were roaming all over the buxom blonde's body and she was reciprocating just as eagerly. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw his other friend, Hermione, with tears streaming down her face.

Suddenly, there was a burning fire blooming in his chest and a massive roaring sound muffled his hearing as the entire universe dwindled down to one very important fact: Ron had been the first to announce that he fancied Hermione and as a result, Harry had not pursued any interest in her afterwards.

But now, as he looked on with the roaring beast in his chest increasing in intensity, any sense of loyalty was quickly finding the nearest exit. Thoughts began to race around in his mind at an alarming rate, each one trying to take precedence over the other.

Ron fancied Hermione.

Harry fancied Hermione.

Ron always hurt Hermione.

Harry never hurt Hermione.

Ron was the first to say that he fancied the girl.

Harry wouldn't approach the girl because of the unwritten law of loyalty between best mates.

Ron was hurting Hermione, again.

Fuck Ron!

Fuck the unwritten rule of loyalty between best mates.

Finally coming to a decision, Harry took three confident strides over to the happily snogging couple and placed his hand firmly on his red-headed best mate's shoulder before wrenching him free of the blonde's grasp.

"Wha?" was all Ron managed to get out before Harry's fist smashed into his face, knocking the red-head on his arse and breaking his nose in the process.

"You fucking bastard," roared Harry. "How could you. I didn't ask Hermione to the Yule Ball because you told me you fancied her. I didn't ask her to Hogsmeade because you told me that you were going to. Do you know that I fucking love Hermione Granger and the only reason that I haven't asked her to be my girlfriend is because you told me you fancied her. Fuck you, you jealous arsehole. Fuck you and your bigoted ways. No more do I consider you my best mate, best friend, or acquaintance. From now on, Ronald Bilius Weasley, stay the hell away from me."

Ron sat dazed on the floor while absently wiping at the blood that was oozing out of his broken nose.

All around the common room, there was complete silence.

A certain bushy-haired bookworm stood there in stunned silence as well, but the whole time, she was trying to organize the torrent of information that had just assaulted her senses. Had Harry just confessed to loving her? Had Harry just admitted that the only reason he hadn't asked her to the Yule Ball or to Hogsmeade was because the red-headed human-sized pig fancied her, the same human-sized pig that she had been doting on for the past six months because the friend that she had loved ever since her first year hadn't shown any interest because of his stupid nobility? The thoughts were just so jumbled at this time and she was just having a very hard time sorting them at this exact second.

Harry turned towards his only remaining best friend and looked longingly into her deep, golden-brown eyes. Then, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he began, nervously at first, but with more confidence as the words began to pour out of his mouth while absently running his fingers through his already messy hair.

"Mione, I, er, I've been a prat all this time for not telling you this, but I, er, sort of fancy you and, if you wouldn't mind, I, er, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me."

Hermione stood there, stunned. Harry was staring at her with those gorgeous eyes and she couldn't move. She couldn't even manage to get her mouth to open. Her brain was in complete lockdown. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to run and jump into his arms and wrap her legs around his waist. She wanted to kiss his beautiful mouth. She wanted to lose herself in those gorgeous green eyes. But she was frozen and she couldn't move.

After about thirty seconds of silence, Harry's heart began to break and tears began to well up in his eyes. Before any further embarrassment could settle in, he turned and left the common room, exiting back through the portal, not even hearing the Fat Lady's concern as he ran down the corridor, letting out the painful sobs once he was free of any prying eyes.

As the portal slammed shut, Lavender Brown was the first to break the silence as she walked over to Hermione and shook her out of the daze that she was in.

"Granger, for supposedly being the smartest witch of our generation, you're pretty fucking stupid. What the hell are you doing? That man just told you that he loved you and you left him holding the bag. What the hell is your problem? After a stunt like that, I'd say that you don't deserve what Harry Potter has to offer. If you have any brains, you'd better get out there and save his delicious ass before he does something silly like challenge all of Slytherin house to a duel."

Hermione shook herself from Lavender's hold and looked around the common room at all of the expectant faces before focusing back on the girl in front of her.

"Did Harry just tell me that he loved me?"

"Yes."

"Did I just stand there like a deer caught in the headlights?"

"Yes."

"Oh dear," cried Hermione. "I really bollocked this up, haven't I?"

"Only if you don't chase him down," replied Lavender as she pulled Hermione in for a hug.

"Now, go get your man," said Lavender as she shoved Hermione towards the exit. "And don't come back until you set things right."

"I will," nodded the bushy haired bookworm as she began to wipe the tears that had somehow found their way onto her cheeks.

"Go get him, girl," replied Lavender, shoving Hermione towards the exit.

"Thanks, Lav," sniffled Hermione before she raced out the portal in search of her best friend and hopefully, soon to be more, much more.

Stepping out into the corridor, she looked left and right trying to catch a glimpse of her fleeing friend, but the corridor was empty in either direction. There was a sound behind her, like someone clearing their throat and Hermione turned around to see The Fat Lady looking down at her.

"If you're looking for Mr. Potter, he went that way. Before you go running after him though, here's some advice. Love him like there's no tomorrow as he deserves nothing less."

"I know, I will. Thanks," replied Hermione as she raced down the corridor in pursuit of her best friend.

The other portraits seemed to agree with The Fat Lady as they were pointing in the direction that Harry seemed to have taken. Finally, after running down eighteen corridors, up three flights of stairs, down three more and past eighty-three classroom doors, she heard the sounds of sobbing coming from the alcove overlooking the Black Lake at the end of the corridor.

"Harry," she cried out as she sprinted the last thirty feet, stopping a few feet short of her goal, not sure what to do.

The black haired youth turned and looked at his best friend, insecurity clearly written on her face and tears evident at the corners of her eyes. He looked longingly at the one person that he had felt an attachment to ever since their initial meeting on the Hogwarts Express, a person that he had held greater feelings than he was willing to admit to for a long, long time. Not sure what to do in such a situation, he did the one thing that he thought best and opened his arms, beckoning her forward.

When Hermione seen him open his arms to her, she didn't hesitate and she raced the last couple of feet and jumped into his open arms. Her momentum was enough to send the pair of them toppling to the stone floor of the castle where Hermione proceeded to kiss every square inch of his face before he was able to utter any kind of response.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I couldn't believe my ears back there. I'd given up hope on you. You never showed any kind of interest, but now I understand, you noble git. Yes, I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you."

"Really!" said Harry with a joyous look about his face.

"Yes, really. Now, would you do me the honor of giving me my first real kiss," said Hermione as her cheeks darkened in colour as she suddenly became shy and vulnerable under the weight of his emerald stare.

"I thought you kissed Viktor Krum after the Yule Ball?" Harry asked, guardedly.

"No. He only kissed me on the cheek before saying goodnight. Besides, he was eighteen and my heart was already taken by someone else," she said, smiling demurely up at him.

Then, Harry glanced down at Hermione's full, pouty lips hungrily before looking back into her beautiful brown eyes and asked, "Are you sure?" doubt still lingering in the depths of his own eyes.

"Yes," she replied, her tongue darting out and moistening her lips in anticipation.

"Good," he replied. Then reaching up, he took off his glasses and revealed his brilliant, glowing orgs to her before leaning in for his first ever kiss, his heart hammering away in his chest.

Hermione could feel the beat of her heart pounding away as she was about to receive her first ever kiss and then, just before their lips touched, they bumped noses. This caused the pair to giggle quietly, but, not wanting to be deterred from her goal, Hermione grabbed Harry's face and tilted it slightly before pressing her lips to his. She found Harry's lips slightly parted and she reciprocated. This caused their tongues to poke out and together, they cautiously touch the other's at the same time, causing a tingling sensation to race up and down their spines, quickly spreading to the rest of their bodies. Suddenly, dormant hormones came alive, overwhelming their senses and the kiss deepened, their tongues entwining as they fought for dominance while searching out each other's mouths.

Finally, the pair broke the kiss, each in a complete state of euphoria. Their lips had gone completely numb after being in a hypersensitive state for so long, but what a wondrous feeling it was. Without uttering another word, the two turned and headed back to their common room, Hermione slipping her small hand into Harry's. They stopped outside the portrait of The Fat Lady and looked deeply into each other's eyes. After a couple more minutes had passed, Harry plucked up his courage and spoke.

"Mione, would you be my girlfriend?"

Hermione stared up into his amazing emerald eyes as she replied, "Yes." Then she reached up and pulled him down for another scorching kiss.

Behind them, The Fat Lady pulled out a handkerchief and began to dab at her eyes. "Just like Lily and James," she muttered softly.

Finally, the pair separated and each of them taking a huge breath, they gave the password and entered the common room hand in hand, not quite sure what to expect, but both were confident that the future was sure to be brighter now that they had found each other.

The End

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The Blind Dragon


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